Citation

Takaku S, Green JD, Ohbuchi KI. Asian J. Soc. Psychol. 2010; 13(4): 274-285.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Asian Association of Social Psychology and the Japanese Group Dynamics Association, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1467-839X.2010.01319.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In two cross‐national studies, we investigated the existence of a perpetrator–victim account estimation bias and how this bias can be reduced or eliminated when estimating the perpetrator's use of a mixed account; that is, an account in which the perpetrator not only apologizes but also explains mitigating and justifiable circumstances. Japanese and American participants took either the perspective of the perpetrator or the victim and estimated the likelihood of the perpetrator's use of each account. The results supported our hypothesis in both national samples. The implications of the bias and the role of the mixed account in reducing it are discussed.